Families of hostages storm Israeli parliament meeting

Relatives of Israelis being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas have stormed a parliamentary committee session in Jerusalem, demanding lawmakers do more to free their loved ones.

The action by a group of around 20 relatives on Monday illustrated the growing anger over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to agree to a deal with the Palestinian group as the Gaza war grinds through a fourth month.

One woman held up pictures of three family members who were among the 253 people seized in the cross-border Hamas rampage of October 7 that triggered the massive Israeli operation in the enclave.

Around 100 of the hostages were released during a week-long truce in November. Some 130 remain held in Gaza.

“Just one I’d like to get back alive, one out of three!” the woman protester cried after pushing into the Knesset Finance Committee discussion.

Other protesters, clad in black T-shirts, held up signs reading: “You will not sit here while they die there.”